Life Cycle, Processes & Properties, VIB-WHY
None of us are born looking exactly the way that we do today; this is because humans, like other species, undergo a series of changes as they mature and age, in accordance with their biological life cycle. This process can look very different across different species. In many simple organisms and in higher animals, the life cycle is completed within a single generation, while in most plants, the life cycle is multigenerational.
Life Cycle, Processes & Properties Encyclopedia Articles By Title
vibrissae, stiff hairs on the face or nostrils of an animal, such as the whiskers of a cat. Vibrissae often act......
Vincent gingivitis, acute and painful infection of the tooth margins and gums that is caused by the symbiotic microorganisms......
viral disease, disease caused by viruses. Long-term immunity usually follows viral childhood diseases (see chickenpox).......
viral hemorrhagic fever, any of a variety of highly fatal viral diseases that are characterized by massive external......
viroid, an infectious particle smaller than any of the known viruses, an agent of certain plant diseases. The particle......
vision, physiological process of distinguishing, usually by means of an organ such as the eye, the shapes and colours......
visual field defect, a blind spot (scotoma) or blind area within the normal field of one or both eyes. In most......
visual pigment, any of a number of related substances that function in light reception by animals by transforming......
vitamin, any of several organic substances that are necessary in small quantities for normal health and growth......
vitamin A deficiency, nutritional disorder caused by a deficiency of vitamin A (also called retinol), a fat-soluble......
vitiligo, patchy loss of melanin pigment from the skin. Though the pigment-making cells of the skin, or melanocytes,......
vocalization, any sound produced through the action of an animal’s respiratory system and used in communication.......
Volkmann contracture, disorder of the wrist and hand in which the hand and fingers become fixed in a characteristic......
volvulus, twisting of a portion of the digestive tract on its mesentery (the fold of membrane that attaches the......
vomiting, the forcible ejection of stomach contents from the mouth. Like nausea, vomiting may have a wide range......
von Gierke’s disease, most common of a group of hereditary glycogen-storage diseases. It is inherited as an autosomal-recessive......
von Willebrand disease, inherited blood disorder characterized by a prolonged bleeding time and a deficiency of......
voyeurism, human sexual behaviour involving achievement of sexual arousal through viewing the sexual activities......
vulvitis, inflammation and infection of the vulva—the external genitalia of the female. The external organs of......
C.H. Waddington was a British embryologist, geneticist, and philosopher of science. Waddington graduated in geology......
warm-bloodedness, in animals, the ability to maintain a relatively constant internal temperature (about 37° C [99°......
wart, a well-defined growth of varying shape and size on the skin surface caused by a virus, most commonly one......
Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome, a rare type of septicemia (blood poisoning) of rapid and severe onset, marked......
West Nile virus, virus belonging to the family Flaviviridae, related to viruses that can cause yellow fever and......
whale vocalization, process used by whales that produces any of several vocal sounds that assist in communication......
whalebone, series of stiff keratinous plates in the mouths of baleen whales, used to strain copepods and other......
The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) is the longest-lived vertebrate animal known to science. Radiocarbon......
The onset of stroke can manifest in different ways. In many instances, the affected person may experience sudden......
Allergic reactions are caused by substances known as allergens. These substances can be found in a variety of sources......
Dutch-born British physician and scientist Jan Ingenhousz discovered that light is necessary for photosynthesis.......
There are approximately 10,000 species of ants on Earth, with a wide range of diets and behaviors among them. Many......
Cheetahs are carnivores, which means that their diet consists primarily of meat. They hunt a variety of animals,......
Ducks are omnivorous birds that feed on both plants and animals. Their varied diet may include aquatic vegetation,......
Frogs have a diverse diet that primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates, though some species......
Giraffes, as browsers, primarily feed on new, tender shoots and leaves of trees, with a particular fondness for......
Kangaroos are herbivores, which means they eat only plant-based foods. Their diet mainly includes grass and other......
Rabbits are herbivores and primarily consume a diet rich in plant material, such as grasses and forbs (herbs other......
Squirrels’ diets vary based on their species and habitat. The most commonly recognized squirrel, the bushy-tailed......
Turtles’ diets vary based on their species and where they live. Many turtles are herbivorous, and mainly live off......
Whales have a diverse diet that varies significantly between species, primarily depending on whether they are baleen......
A variety of theories have been proposed for the specific function of the narwhal’s long, straight tusk, but first......
Photosynthesis produces sugar, with oxygen gas as a by-product. The process of photosynthesis is commonly written......
Although snakes are predators, they are also themselves eaten by other creatures, making them secondary consumers......
What happens to our bodies after we die isn’t a mystery, even if we may want it to be. If you want to confront......
Your parents may have warned you not to swallow your chewing gum because it would remain in your stomach for seven......
A group of cows is called a herd. This is the standard term used universally in both common speech and scientific......
This article was originally published May 15, 2020, and updated October 15, 2020. When a global outbreak of disease......
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused various scientific terms to become a part of everyday vocabulary, among them the......
The word grain is usually used for the edible seeds of a cereal grass, such as rice, barley, or corn (maize). A......
Influenza and the coronavirus disease COVID-19 appear to be very similar. After all, both are respiratory diseases,......
“It was the summer of 1880. It was August. It stank to high heaven. The sewers had been uncorked, and all the filth......
On February 25, 2020, a top official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention decided it was time to level......
Psychopath and sociopath are often used interchangeably in common speech to describe a person who is pathologically......
In the 1980s, a condition called acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, known more widely as AIDS, began to show itself......
When people talk about dangerous snakes like black mambas and cobras, at least one person in the conversation will......
This article was originally published on March 19, 2020. The last major global outbreak of disease before the COVID-19......
Strictly speaking, humans are the smartest animals on Earth—at least according to human standards. We are adept......
Among the 333 species of parrots (family Psittacidae), the African gray parrot (Psittacus erithacus) is the most......
whiplash, injury to the cervical spine and its soft tissues caused by forceful flexion or extension of the neck,......
white nose syndrome, disease affecting hibernating bats in North America that is caused by the growth of a white......
This article was originally published on March 18, 2020. The World Health Organization (WHO) is responsible for......
whooping cough, acute, highly communicable respiratory disease characterized in its typical form by paroxysms of......
Bees are crucial to our world for several reasons, primarily due to their role as pollinators. The approximately......
The name Boxer is derived from the dog’s unique behavior during play and combat, which is reminiscent of a human......
Dogs are loyal due to their evolutionary history, domestication process, and the strong bonds they form with humans.......
An elephant’s large ears serve several purposes. Thermoregulation—an organism’s maintenance of its own body temperature......
Fish can have high levels of mercury in their tissues owing to bioaccumulation, in which mercury that is released......
Sexual selection, according to English naturalist Charles Darwin, is an evolutionary process that “depends on the......
Mosquitoes that feed on human blood are attracted to certain people more than others due to a combination of factors......
Coulrophobia is no laughing matter. This irrational fear of clowns can cause panic and nausea. Although it’s a......
People are often afraid of snakes because of a combination of factors—ranging from the fear of venomous bites to......
People are often afraid of spiders, unsettled by the animals’ many legs and eyes, their sometimes rapid and unpredictable......
Plants are green because of a pigment found in the chloroplasts of plant cells called chlorophyll. It plays a crucial......
Polar bear fur is actually colorless but appears white because of the way it interacts with light. Each hair shaft......
Most reptiles are cold-blooded (ectothermic) because they rely on external sources to regulate their body temperature.......
Robin eggs are blue due to a fascinating evolutionary adaptation that may help protect them from sun exposure.......
Sharks are coming closer to shore primarily because of a combination of environmental factors, human activities,......
“Sloth” is considered one of the seven deadly sins because, according to Catholic tradition, it hinders spiritual......
The color of an eggshell is determined primarily by the breed of the hen that laid it. This trait is genetic: hens......
Different blood groups are the result of genetic variations that determine the presence or absence of specific......
The slow pace at which turtles move through life is primarily due to their unique anatomy and evolutionary adaptations.......
At some point in your life you’ve probably been tickled—repeatedly touched in a way that induced smiling, laughter,......
All apes, except for orangutans, live in groups. This arrangement gives them advantages when it comes to raising......
Bats sleep upside down because their anatomy and physiology are adapted for this position. Their legs are slender......
Beavers are quite the clever architects when it comes to safeguarding their homes. They build dams to raise the......
Birds chirp at night for various reasons, primarily to communicate, mark territory, attract mates, warn other birds......
Cats blink slowly as a form of nonverbal communication, often interpreted as a sign of trust and affection toward......
Cats have slit pupils primarily to enhance their ability to see in varying light conditions. They are crepuscular......
Cats have whiskers primarily for tactile sensing, which is crucial for their survival and daily activities. Whiskers,......
The aromatic leaves of the catnip (Nepeta cataria), a herb of the mint family, are known to be particularly exciting......
While purring is often associated with a cat’s contentment, such as when they are being petted or snuggled up in......
Cats rub against your legs primarily as a form of communication and marking behavior. Rubbing against you may serve......
Male crickets are musical insects, chirping to establish their territory and to attract mates. Their chirping sounds......
There may be several reasons why dogs turn around several times before they lie down. Since dogs are intelligent......
Dogs eat grass for several reasons, and while the exact motivations can vary, there are a few common theories that......
Though poop is certainly not a staple food for any human, it may come as no surprise that poop is a common part......
Dogs have wet noses mainly to enhance their sense of smell. The moisture on the nose traps scent particles in the......
Dogs are naturally inclined to like bones due to their evolutionary history and biological needs. Dogs have evolved......
Dogs enjoy playing fetch because of a combination of instinctual behaviors, physical exercise needs, and the joy......
Dogs wag their tails primarily as a form of communication, allowing them to express a range of emotions. Tail wagging......